Better Than Revenge
by IllustrisFlamma
Summary: Ron cheats on Hermione and she decides a little revenge is in order. Re write.


**Note: This is a re write of the story Oh My God! by XPlainJaneX. I felt a little funny about doing a re write at first even though I know people do it but then I really started thinking about it. What is this whole site if not a whole bunch of people re writing their favorite author's stories? We are fans of JK Rowling (or whoever you write about) and we re tell her stories. So basically I am declaring myself a fan of XPlainJaneX and this is my version of her story. I kept a few of the scenes mostly intact and some of the dialogue, but I cut out some stuff, added some of my own, rearranged it a bit and changed the ending.**

*DMHG*

Blaise Zabini looked up from his book to see a very strange looking Hermione Granger entering his bedroom from their joint common room. As head boy and girl they had been thrown together and to his surprise he found Gryfindor's Princess quite fascinating. Their friendship didn't make a whole lot of sense to anyone else but he really didn't put much stock in other's opinions. He knew he was powerful enough to make his own rules and if he wanted to be friends with the enemy, so to speak, then he bloody well could.

Besides, not that he would admit it to anyone, but her bossy demeanor completely turned him on.

Don't get him wrong, he was never going to act on it. They really weren't suited for that kind of relationship. In fact, he was beginning to suspect he knew exactly who would be perfect for her. When she finally got rid of the weasel that is. Also, he enjoyed what they had far too much to jeopardize it for something so paltry as sex. He could get sex from anyone, friendship was much rarer thing.

Especially for a Slytherin.

So when she walked in with an expression he couldn't quite make out, but that seriously worried him, he immediately got up and went to her.

"Hermione? Love, are you ok?"

Her glazed eyes turned to focus on the wall behind him and he finally figured out what was morphing her features into an unrecognizable form. Rage. He'd seen that look on her face only once before and the person who caused it hadn't lived to repeat his mistake. Augustus Rookwood was currently enjoying a permanent nap for his attempt to kill Fred Weasley.

As this bout of rage was also mixed with a bit of shock and disorientation he thought it would be wise to get her to acknowledge her surroundings and his presence before she accidentally sent him to join Rookwood.

He walked carefully up to her and grasped her arms, placing his face in her direct line of sight. She blinked and shook her head before he saw the film over her eyes fade and recognition enter.

"Blaise?"

"Hello Sunshine. I'm glad you're back. You were scaring me there for a second."

"Sorry." She blushed and pulled away from him. Now that the rage had faded he saw the supreme sadness underneath. Now that was not going to be allowed to stand.

"Hermione what's happened?"

*DMHG*

Earlier that night...

Hermione climbed the stairs to Ron's room and tried to contain her nerves.

She'd decided tonight was the night she would give herself to him.

She didn't love him the way he wanted but she was trying and he'd been very patient with her. She didn't think she was ever going to feel like it was the right time so why not just get it over with? She was sure it wasn't going to be anything worth talking about later but she did care about him and she had always just assumed they would end up together. Since this was part of being in a relationship she needed to get over her silly romantic notions of being swept off her feet and learn to be happy with what she had.

She'd taken extra care with her appearance tonight, knowing he would appreciate the end result and a small smile crept over her face as she pictured his reaction.

When she reached the top of the stairs she took a deep breath... and pushed open his door.

What she had seen changed her life forever.

Ron and Lavender were wrapped around each other, naked and panting on his bed.

Shock was the first reaction to overtake her. Then the icy rage set in and something came over her she had no power to control. "Oh, you are going to regret this day for the rest of your life Ronald Weasley."

*DMHG*

"He did what?" Blaise roared, looking almost as upset as she felt. "Where is he? I'm going to rip him limb from limb. That stupid blighter is never going to forget the beating I'm going to– "

She put a hand on his chest to stop him, his outrage in her defense bringing a small smile to her face.

"Don't. Harry and Ginny already beat you to it." She snorted a bit as she realized what she'd said. Beat him to it. She thought she might be a little hysterical and judging by the way Blaise was eying her she deduced that he felt the same way. Before another second had gone by, her mirth turned to sobs and she fell into his arms.

"Shhh." he held her tight and stroked her hair soothingly. "It's going to be ok. I promise you. You will realize soon enough that he actually did you a favor tonight. You were never meant to be stuck with that prat."

"Oh it's not losing him as a boyfriend that's so upsetting." She managed when her sobs had eased. "It's losing him as a friend. I think I knew somewhere deep down that we would never really work as a couple but I _always_ thought we'd be friends. We've been through far too much together to not be sad at the end. I just can't believe he could do that to me. To _me. _Do you know how many times I have saved that boy's life?"

Her sadness had completely faded at this point and the rage was making a strong recovery. She pulled out of Blaise's arms and began pacing.

"He's going to regret this. Far more than he already does and for the rest of his pitiful life. I will tear him apart the way he deserves."

"What are you going to–?" At that moment, Pansy Parkinson appeared in the doorway wearing a skimpy negligee. As Hermione was off to the side of the door, the girl hadn't even gotten a chance to see her before Blaise stupefied her.

Hermione looked at him in shock.

"What are you going to do to Weasley?"

"I haven't actually decided yet." Hermione's answer came before her shock could register. "Blaise did you just stun Parkinson?"

"When you decide, you're going to tell me first right? Before you go off all hell bent and irrational?"

She frowned at him. "I am never irrational. Seriously, did you just stun her?"

Blaise continued to ignore the proverbial elephant in the room. "While normally I would agree with you, you are not quite yourself tonight. Don't do anything that's going to get you sent to Azkaban."

She scoffed at that. "Like I would get caught." She made him turn his attention to the still frozen Pansy by walking over and indicating her like a game show model. "Seriously, Blaise. What on earth did you do this for?"

He sighed before finally answering. "She has a bit of an irrational jealousy thing going for you and a formidable temper, if you hadn't noticed. I didn't think it would be safe for my furniture to let her find you in my room. Besides, I wasn't finished with our conversation."

She always was a bit taken aback by his completely blasé attitude towards sex. She didn't have any experience in the area so she couldn't judge how she would eventually feel about it but boys were always supposed to be falling all over themselves for any and all the sex they could get. He seemed almost bored by it.

Although, there was a distinctly new and different light in his eyes as she saw his gaze pass over Pansy's face. Hmmm. Maybe this could turn into something good for him.

She eyed Pansy and decided she could help it along a bit. The muggle lingerie, while quite expensive, was a very bad cut for her. And her hair needed some work. She never thought she would empathize with Parkinson but considering how badly her own attempt at arriving to seduce Ron had gone she felt for her. At least one of their nights could go right.

"All right, well we're finished now. I promise not to get sent to Azkaban. Will you please unfreeze her? I need to fix her."

Blaise was thoroughly confused by that statement but didn't think it was a good idea to refuse and so waved his wand and set Pansy free.

"Blaise, darling I–" Pansy's greeting halted as Hermione grabbed her hand and started dragging her towards the bathroom. "Granger! What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh shut it Parkinson." Hermione said, "I'm here to fix the atrocity you've made of yourself in this lingerie."

Pansy dug in her heels and sneered. "And what do you know of attracting men, Granger?"

Hermione's eyes turned to steel. She had to remind herself that Pansy didn't have the knowledge of why that was the absolute worst thing she could have said at that moment. She was just being Pansy.

"Two words Parkinson. Yule. Ball."

The look in her eyes must have conveyed some of the danger Pansy was in as the girl walked in the direction of the bathroom where Hermione was pointing and didn't offer any more argument.

When they were both inside Hermione started making adjustments to the outfit with her wand. A little more here, a little less there, and after a few moments of tinkering, stood back to inspect her work.

"Much better. Now for the hair."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Pansy huffed.

"It's too perfect. It makes you not want to mess it up. It projects untouchability. You want to be touched don't you?" She ran her fingers through it and mussed it a bit, giving it a tousled look.

"I've never been through this much trouble for a man in my life." Pansy grumbled. "With Draco all you had to do was shove some cake at him and he was putty in your hands." Hermione's thoughts took a sharp left turn at the mention of Draco. _Oh now wouldn't that be fitting?_

Pansy's sound of impressed appreciation shook her from her newly forming plot. She was standing in front of the mirror, a stunned look on her face. She looked over and met Hermione's eyes and nodded slightly. "I owe you one, Granger."

"I'll keep that in mind, Parkinson."

*DMHG*

Draco Malfoy lounged on one of the couches in the Slytherin common room and tried to decide how he was going to cure his boredom. It was late, everyone else had already gone to bed. It was much too cold to go for a fly. He had finally gotten sick of Parkinson a few months ago and dissolved their mutual agreement to use each other for sex so she was out. Besides, he was pretty sure she was eyeing Zabini now anyway. That would be interesting to watch unfold.

A knock sounded on the solid oak door and his head lifted from it's perch on his arm.

_Who on earth would knock on the door? Anyone who belongs here wouldn't be so stupid as to think we would let them in if they forgot the password and anyone who doesn't belong here wouldn't dare try to intrude._

He was intrigued enough to get up and find out. What he found both annoyed and further intrigued him.

Of course _she _would dare.

"Are you lost Granger?" He sneered and tried to hide his curiosity. "I'm pretty sure nice little girls like you don't belong here."

He was about to continue when the strangest thing happened.

She smiled at him.

It was so unsettling he could do nothing but stare at her for a moment while the irrational desire he had been carrying around for her all year beat at him. _Damn it, get a bloody grip._

"Hello, Malfoy." She stepped in close to him and he instinctively backed up a step. There was something wrong with her eyes. While they normally looked like warm melted honey, they now held a hard glint, like cracked amber. And he would swear they looked just a bit puffy, as if she'd been crying.

"What do you want, Granger?"

"I have a proposition for you." Her eyes flashed and he remembered now where he had seen that glint before. It was in their third year, right before she'd punched him.

"Proposition, huh?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to explain it out here in the open so either let me in or I'll go find someone else to help me." Unless he was quite mad, her voice held a slightly seductive promise and he knew he wasn't going to let her go without finding out what she was about.

He stepped aside and swept his arm in a mockingly welcome gesture. She slid past him and as she walked across the room his eyes were glued to the way her hips were swaying.

_Did they normally do that?_

He shook himself and followed her. _No. They didn't. What is she up to?_

For the first time he noticed she was carrying a small box. She laid it on the coffee table before continuing on to stand by the fireplace. He gave her a questioning look which she answered with a small nod, indicating he should look inside. He eyed the cardboard suspiciously. He looked back at her again and her mocking smile dared him to open it. _If I get hexed by this so help me god..._

It was cake.

A delicious looking chocolate and carmel swirl cake. His mouth watered just looking at it.

"What's this?"

"Cake."

Draco gave her a look that said explain or leave and she sighed. "It's well known that you have a sweet tooth, Malfoy, and I wanted you to have an open mind when I present my proposal so..." she gestured towards the box "cake."

"Bribery?" Draco drawled mockingly as he took a bite of the sumptuous dessert, "I didn't know Gryffindors stooped to such low measures. I thought that was a decidedly Slytherin trait."

Her eyes flashed again and he had to make a conscious effort not to flinch.

"First of all, there are many Gryffindors who would stoop much lower, and second... not all Slytherins are low." The harshness of the first statement was in stark contrast with the softness of the second and it confused him thoroughly. What had happened to her? And which one of his brother's had caught her eye? The thought of one of his housemates claiming her attention did not settle well with him.

Not. At. All.

If he'd been thinking more clearly he would have figured out that she was referring to her friendship with Zabini. In an attempt to conceal his thoughts he took another bite of cake.

"Explain."

She moved to sit on the couch across from him and her hips were doing that thing again. That seductive and very un Granger-like thing. _Was she doing that on purpose? _When she sat, her robes parted just a hint, giving him a glimpse of her legs as she crossed them in front of her. He dragged his gaze away from that dangerous temptation and looked up in time to see her falter just a bit.

"I don't really know how to begin."

"How about by telling me what you want."

The glint came back in full force. "Revenge." She snarled and the anger she was struggling to contain made him stop chewing and swallow, loudly.

"On whom exactly?" Draco was suddenly second guessing eating the cake. _Is it laced with some muggle poison? Is she trying to kill me?_

"The weasel."

That admission had him sitting up a little straighter.

"Weasley?"

"I'm pretty sure I had it right the first time."

Draco wondered what the prat could have done to cause this kind of reaction and asked her that very thing.

"What didn't he do?" she repeated with an angry scoff.

Draco eyed her warily as she prepared to tell him what had happened. The look in her eyes said that the weasel's life might be in danger and he thought about how he could calm her. While he really couldn't stand the blighter, he wasn't about to murder him and that was the only reason he cold think of that she would enlist him in particular for her plans.

"Come on now Granger, whatever he did couldn't be as bad as all– " The rage in her eyes turned it's focus in his direction and he stilled, recognizing the danger he was currently in.

"Really? It couldn't be as bad as all that?" The calm tone of her voice set off alarms in his head. That was her you-have three-seconds-to-fix-your-mistake-before-your-balls-become-a-permanent-fixture-on-my-wall tone. "I think walking in on my boyfriend shagging the Gryffindor whore is pretty bad."

"He what!" The outrage in his voice seemed to placate her. "Do I get to kill him?" He was honestly warming up to the idea. The only thing he could think to explain his irrational anger was that Granger was _his_ to torment. No one else was allowed to upset her.

"No." She shook her head. "I just want to hurt him."

"All right, I can do that. Cruciatus? No, I think the Imperious would be better. I'll make him hurt himself." He was really going to enjoy this.

"Oh no. The physical pain has already been taken care of." Her smile was very Slytherin in that moment. "Harry broke his nose, Ginny a few ribs, and the twins are planning to use him as their guinea pig for their latest curses."

Draco mentally reminded himself to never truly piss off Granger. Her friends would kill you.

"But those things will heal. What I want is to scar him. Create a wound that will never heal, never ease, never leave his mind. I want him to be filled with regret and self-loathing to the point where every time he looks in the mirror he shudders with disgust."

Second note to self: _Never_ mess with Granger. Her friends will kill you, but she'll resurrect you and do much, _much_ worse.

Hermione watched with a bit of satisfaction as his mouth dropped open at her words. Shocking him was a definite bonus in the endeavor. She didn't deny she had a dark side, it was just so deeply hidden and hard to provoke that it rarely came out. It was altogether best not to be the object of it's focus when it did.

Draco composed himself and swallowed, not sure if he wanted to bring her focus back to his part in all of this. "Ok, but you still haven't answered my question. What do you want with me? From the sounds of it, you really wouldn't have any trouble enlisting any number of your Gryffindor lackeys to help you with your plan. Why me?"

A seductive light entered her eyes and he knew he was in trouble when she moved from her seat on the couch to sit on the coffee table between his knees. Her nearness was affecting him a great deal more than he would ever admit.

"The most important reason is that Ron hates you."

Ok, that was not what he was expecting and his brain was not up to par at the moment.

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"I don't think you truly understand how much Ron hates you. You specifically, he loathes more than any person on earth." She sat back a bit and he found it much easier to breath and actually take in her words. "Once, at the beginning of this year I stumbled on the staircase and Ron was too far behind me to help, but you, _you_ reached out to steady me. It was completely unconscious on your part, I doubt you even remember doing it, but the fact that you had _touched me_, helped me when he couldn't drove him absolutely insane. To him it was worse than if you had pushed me because for a moment, something he considered his was protected by you. He wasn't himself for weeks."

She leaned in again and he started to get an idea of what she wanted him for. _Merlin's bloody balls._

"Plus, it helps that you're considered the Slytherin sex god."

The matter of fact way she stated that had his eyes bulging and he stared at her incredulously.

"Ron got quite worked up before I left and found it advisable to inform me that I would never find another man who would be willing to even look at me, let alone kiss me." Her smile turned decidedly evil. "What can I say? I aim high."

His blood began to abandon his head in favor of a more southern region. "So you want me to kiss you?" He strived for indifference but knew he missed the mark.

"Oh, no. That isn't quite what I had in mind." Barely an inch of space separated them an she leaned in and whispered in his ear. "I want you to completely take what I almost gave to him. What he considered to be his."

_Holy blistering hell._

*DMHG*

The next morning Hermione smirked as she crossed the common room and saw Ginny standing menacingly over Lavender. _Perfect._

She walked over to them and the already terrified girl on the floor let out a small yip of fear.

"Oh shut up, you silly girl." Hermione said with contempt "I'm not going to waste my time on you."

She turned to her best friend and asked in a very off handed way, "Ginny, can I have a dose of your post-coital contraceptive potion? I don't have any of my own and I find myself in need of it this morning." The look on Ginny's face was almost as good as the one on Lavender's.

Of the two, Ginny recovered first. "O- of course Hermione," she stammered, "It's in the left hand side of my trunk. But who–?"

"No time to explain now." Hermione said breezily as she turned back toward the stairs, "But I'll give you all the juicy details later."

She felt very pleased with herself at the way that had turned out and she let a very Slytherin smile creep across her face. Not only was Lavender Brown the school's worst tramp, she also had the biggest mouth. Soon everyone would know that the ever pure and proper Hermione was no longer so pure or proper. And the best part was that Ron would have to hear it from the one with whom he'd made his biggest mistake.

Yes, this had been a thoroughly pleasing morning. In more ways than one.

She blushed as she recalled the things Malfoy had done to her. Honestly she hadn't expected that it would be so... amazing. She'd been focused on revenge and he'd been the logical choice. She wasn't planning on enjoying herself overly much. Now she found herself very _very_ thankful it had been him that Ron hated more than anyone else.

Good lord, the things he could do with his tongue...

She shook herself out of her head as she reached Ginny's room and got the potion from her trunk. She wouldn't be able to function today if she let herself get distracted by thoughts of Draco.

_Malfoy. Not Draco. Damn it, don't start getting all soft now. That was not part of the plan. He certainly won't be softening towards you just because of what happened last night so don't even start getting caught up in that dangerous territory. He was a means to an end. A very enjoyable means to be sure, but it's over now._

*DMHG*

Draco lay in bed, a very satisfied smile curling his lips before he even fully woke up. He kept his eyes closed and relived the night before.

_Who knew Granger would be that good?_

The first time had been phenomenal as it had been just that for her, her first time. He'd hoped that was what she was alluding to when she dropped that bombshell on him and he hadn't been disappointed. He had taken something no one else would ever be able to have of hers and he felt decidedly smug about it. So, the first time had been amazing.

But it didn't even begin to compare to the second time. Or the third. Or the fourth.

He felt quite pleased with himself for the way he had manipulated a second go out of her. The bloody over achiever had actually asked him for a grade. He hadn't been able to resist needling her and she'd responded as he'd hoped. By trying again. And oh how he had enjoyed her efforts.

"Granger how did you do that thing with your back?" He'd asked her after that round.

"Gymnastics camp."

"What?"

It's a summer camp for muggles I go to every year. It requires one to be a bit more flexible than normal. This last year I bunked with a couple of nymphomaniacs and couldn't help overhearing them talking about a few things. Did you like it?"

"Like is a bit of an understatement. Any more tricks up your sleeve?"

"A few."

At that point he felt compelled to tell her what he'd done and she responded in way he would never have guessed. She let him take her again.

After that time their discussion turned to more serious things.

"Did you love him?" He still wasn't sure what had prompted him to ask that. Maybe it was an effect of the unsettlingly comfortable way she was curled into him. Draco Malfoy did not snuggle. But with her it just felt natural to pull her close. Which was insane.

"Not the way he wanted me to. I couldn't. I loved him in the way a person loves their family members, or their best friends. We didn't have what makes it real. What separates the kind of love that friends share from the kind that lovers share isn't love at all. It's possession. An instinctive, primal need to possess someone so completely that you yourself become possessed. Ron most certainly tried to possess me, but I never felt the desire to possess him."

Why that answer had pleased him so much he still didn't really know. But it set him off again and he had taken her for a fourth time.

He smiled at the memory.

She had let him show her things that would be forever imprinted on her mind and every future lover she had would be measured up to _him. _His smile disappeared and it took him a moment to realize that that thought wasn't giving him as much pleasure as it should have.

He replayed it in his head to try and figure out where he had gone wrong and stiffened considerably with an all consuming rage when he got to the part about other lovers.

_Oh shit._

He made a conscious effort not to jostle her as he opened his eyes and turned to face her... and found an empty bed. _What the hell?_

In her place was a note.

Malfoy,

Thank you for assisting me last night. And this morning. It was a very satisfying way to obtain my revenge. And don't worry, nothing between us has to change. I will most certainly not turn into one of your simpering love-struck past conquests and begin following you around incessantly. You kept your part of the bargain, and I will keep mine. Just let me reveal your part in my downfall in my own time. I promise it will be worth the wait.

Hermione

P.S. Thanks for the shirt.

_Shirt? _His mind was still reeling from the fact that, for the first time in his life, he had been the one to be left to wake up alone in the morning and it was not quite functioning properly. He looked around and realized what she was talking about when he found that the pile of his clothes by the side of the bed was smaller than it should be.

_That little minx took my favorite shirt. My black silk, dragon embossed, custom made, and very expensive favorite shirt._

He smirked a bit when he continued his perusal of the room and saw a bit of white lace sticking out from under his desk. He levitated the tiny pair of shorts over to his bed and grabbed them. _Well, at least she got it in trade._

And to be fair he had ripped her shirt beyond repair. _But why did she have to take something much __more valuable of mine than what she left behind?_

The sinking feeling in his gut told him what he already knew but was trying desperately to deny. It wasn't just his shirt he was talking about.

*DMHG*

Hermione got a little distracted thinking about last night's, and this morning's, activities again and ended up being late to breakfast. _Damn that sexy snake. I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with this new problem I've created for myself._

If she'd been on time the 'incident' might never have happened.

It seemed Lavender was almost as thick as Ron. She did indeed spread the tale of what had happened and she told nothing but the truth. She just decided to leave a few things out. Hermione had slept with someone who wasn't Ron and they were no longer together. Funny how when you say it like that it paints a completely different picture.

Whispers followed her as she made her way to the Gryffindor table.

"I can't believe she cheated on Ron..."

"How could she do that to him? I thought they were so good together..."

"Lavender's comforting him, which is good. He'll need someone to help him get over this..."

Hermione wouldn't be surprised if steam was escaping her ears by the time she'd figured out what had happened. Her faltering stride picked up pace and became an angry determined march. Azkaban was looking like an acceptable consequence to her right then.

When she finally reached the sod he was a rather deep shade of purple. Leave it to Ron to be able to think he actually had the right to be angry with _her._ She could easily see how it had gone down. When the lies Lavender started spreading reached him and people started extending him a bit of sympathy he would have latched onto it immediately. The wanker. _How could he possibly think she was going to let that stand? Come to think of it..._

She turned an eye to Harry and Ginny, who hadn't said a word. _Why on earth would they just sit there and let this happen?_

Ginny lifted her hands placatingly. "We considered beating him to a pulp... again. But we decided that whatever you would do to him when you got here would be much more fun."

She relaxed a bit at that. At least her friends were still behind her.

Her attention was drawn back to the thing she once called her boyfriend and a dark aura began oozing from her. The hall went completely silent, everyone noticing the danger except Ron. He opened his mouth to speak and the crowd collectively winced. Even those who thought he had the right to be mad thought it was unwise.

"I can't believe you did this to m–" Bad. Move.

Hermione lunged for his throat and before anyone could react she had him pinned to the floor, her wand pointed between his eyes.

"Tell them the truth, Ronald." Her calm deadly voice was back and Draco smirked from across the room, very happy it wasn't him it had been directed at this time.

"The truth about what?"

_Oh, that was ill advised. _Draco sat back to watch what was certainly going to be an entertaining show.

Hermione's eyes grew even colder if that was possible. She leaned in close to the weasel's face and he actually looked a bit relieved, as if she were going to kiss him and make up. How thick could one person be? As a whole, the room charmed their ears so they wouldn't miss what she was going to say next. Her whisper was low and dangerous.

"Tell them why you have to hide those black eyes Harry gave you with such a strong glamour. Or why the twins have started working on a whole new line of utterly agonizing curses entitled 'walloping the weasel'. Or better yet, tell them why your own sister broke a few of your ribs. Actually, tell _me_, Ron, what do you think your mother will do if I write to her explaining that not only were you unfaithful to me, the woman who has saved you arse more times than should really be necessary, with a _girl_ who has been with more men than she has words in her vocabulary; but that you have also ruined my reputation with lies." She paused when she felt him shiver in fear. "Do you think she'd just send a howler? I don't. In fact, I would bet every last coin in my possession that she would come here and straighten you out herself in a very public, very excruciating manner." His eyes widened in a way that reminded Harry of muggle cartoons and had Draco barely containing his laughter. "So," her voice returned to its normal volume, "tell them the TRUTH!"

And he did. He told them the whole story and every awful thing he'd said to her. As soon as he was finished she released him roughly and stood up, brushing herself off as if ridding her hands of his taint and then, calmly as you please, to the astonishment of the room, she sat in her usual seat and began piling breakfast on her plate.

Draco was having a hard time containing his glee. When she hadn't come down to breakfast with the others he had worried for a moment that she was regretting her revenge and would pull a typically female stunt and forgive the damn weasel. Now that that was decidedly not the case he started thinking about his next move. He pushed the unsettling attachment he had formed to her aside in favor of having her again. She was the best shag he had ever had after all, and now that every other male in the room was considering her newly single status as a good thing since they'd been informed that she wasn't in fact a cheating bint and had seen her extremely sexy dominating display, he was going to have to do something. Fast.

It had nothing to do with feelings, he assured himself. As far as he was concerned she had given herself to him and now she was his, for as long as he deemed fit. She belonged to him.

And Malfoy's didn't share.

Back at the Gryffindor table everyone still had yet to recover from what would come to forever be known as the 'breakfast incident'. After a moment one small voice broke through the silence, obviously more curious than scared, and all ears were once again tuned to that side of the room.

"So... you didn't have sex with someone else just to make Ron jealous so he would pay more attention to you?"

Honest to god Hermione actually saw Ron's ears perk up as he latched on to that ridiculous thought.

"Of course not," Hermione replied smoothly, "I had sex with someone else to show Ron that while he will never be allowed to touch me again, any other male of my choosing most certainly will." She rattled off that shocking statement as if she were reciting the answer to a test question and completely ignored the way everyone's eyes had bulged. She casually picked up the platter she had just taken a piece of food off of and offered it to the third year who had asked the question. "Toast?"

*DMHG*

The next few days passed in a highly strange manner. Interesting sure, but very strange. The golden trio had split and Weasley, no doubt trying to save face in some manner, had taken Brown as his new girlfriend. He didn't really look all that pleased at the downgrade but Draco felt absolutely no sympathy for the prat. He still kind of wanted to kill him since he'd seen the bruise on Granger's arm and she'd confessed that he'd been responsible. She'd failed to mention him grabbing her when she told the story the first time. But apparently it had been taken care of. That was what Potter had broken the rotter's nose for.

Zabini had also put his stamp on the weasel, every time he saw him he would punch him in his already broken nose, ensuring it wouldn't heal normally, and madam Pomfrey seemed mysteriously out of pain potion whenever he showed up.

It seemed the staff was taking sides as well.

Snape had even surprised everyone by subtly giving Granger his approval. It seemed the ever stern and imposing potions master held a bit of a soft spot after all. He'd given Granger a free period to work on whatever she saw fit and had assigned Weasley double homework. He'd also dropped the boy's potion sample at the end of the two hour class. "What a pity." He'd sneered. "I guess you'll be receiving a zero on today's assignment."

Also, Zabini and Pansy had been eyeing each other in a very uncharacteristic way. For both of them. It was almost as if they were smitten with each other. So, a very strange few days.

Granger, maddeningly, had stuck to her word and completely ignored him. Mostly. Every once in a while he would swear she was staring at him but he hadn't been able to catch her at it. And she seemed to be constantly brushing up against him in the halls as she passed, giving him tantalizing whiffs of her perfume.

She was driving him mad.

He had planned to accept her devoted attention with grace when she cracked but that wasn't looking very likely anymore. It seemed she really had used him for a one off and forgotten him. It was completely unacceptable. She'd gotten him so twisted up that he forgot she still hadn't kept up her end of their agreement.

He needed a new plan. One that was more... hands on. He smiled devilishly as he imagined all the ways he could make Granger squirm until she admitted she wanted him.

_Oh this is going to be fun._

*DMHG*

Hermione evaded Draco's gaze again and thanked god for her ability to read him. She would never admit it to anyone else, or even delve too deeply into the matter herself, but she'd studied him enough this year to be able to decode his every twitch. She always knew right when he was about to turn so at least he hadn't caught her. Yet. She knew it was only a matter of time but no matter what she did her eyes were always drawn back to him. Whenever she passed him in the hall her body instinctively leaned toward him and she ended up brushing against him most of the times.

The only thing that made any of this madness bearable was that he seemed to be affected as well. Even with her studying it was hard to tell with him but she would swear she could see heat flash in his eyes just for a moment whenever she got too close. Maybe she would have to work on that. Could she make him want her again? It was an interesting possibility.

She pushed those highly distracting thoughts aside and tried to concentrate on the problem at hand.

Lavender.

The girl had gotten cocky as the days went by and there hadn't been any sort of revenge turned on her. Honestly Hermione had been content to let it go. She was stuck with Ron now and that seemed punishment enough. But the girl just couldn't seem to keep her mouth shut and be grateful for her pass. Pretty soon it was going to come to a head.

Hermione smirked and then berated herself for the expression. It was happening more and more frequently lately, as if having sex with Draco had transmitted a bit of his personality to her. She laughed inwardly at that thought. His very own strand of pureblood STD.

She turned to study Lavender, who'd just made a big production of whispering something to Parvati while not so subtly glancing in Hermione's direction. Maybe Ron had his own version of a pureblood STD. Stupidity. That had to be what was causing Lavender to think prodding her was a good idea.

She smirked again. Screw it. She would take a down right sexy smirk over brainless oblivion any day.

The bell rang, jostling her out of her thoughts and Professor Binns swept into the room through the wall. She was pulling her quill out to get ready to take notes when she heard Draco's silky voice.

"Zabini," he drawled from their left, "You're in my seat."

Blaise raised his eyebrow questioningly from his spot next to her and she could see the smug smile he was trying to hide. He and Ginny were the only ones she had told about Draco. He seemed to think they would be perfect together and had been prompting her to repeat her performance.

Ginny thought she was mad.

She was stuck somewhere in the middle.

The cheeky git actually winked at her before sliding out of the chair and nodding at Draco. She had to make a conscious effort to keep her breathing even as he took Blaise's place. _What is he up to?_

Professor Binns began to drone on, causing everyone else to begin pretending to pay attention and, thankfully, since they were in the back of the classroom no one else had noticed the strange exchange.

He leaned in very close to whisper in her ear and she couldn't help but shiver, even before she heard his words.

"I've decided I don't accept this decision you've made to ignore me, Granger."

"Oh really?" She was proud of how steady she was able to keep her voice with his lips so close to her throat.

"Really. It seems to me that you need some persuasion to act in a more fitting manner. I am Slytherin's sex god after all. It's very bad for my reputation to have you so unaffected by my presence when I can't get you out of my head."

Her breath caught as he leaned even closer and slid the tip of his tongue around her ear lobe. She became very aware that they were in a class full of people as he leaned back and she got a bit of relief from his nearness.

That relief flew out the window when she felt his hand on her knee under the table.

"Draco are you out of your mind?" she hissed as quietly as she could and then faltered in her next statement as his hand slid slowly higher, "We- we're in a- a classroom full of people!"

The two person desks were three sided so no one would be able to see what he was currently doing to her, but she would give it away if he continued. There was no way she could sit quietly while he touched her like that. His smile stole her breath almost as effectively as what he was doing with his hand.

"Maybe you weren't quite as unaffected as you pretended," he drawled as he made slow circles on her thigh with his fingertips, "Am I mistaken or did you just call me Draco?"

_Shit._

This was so not good. She could not allow him to do this. A small gasp broke off her protest before she could utter it as his touch lightly skimmed over her knickers. A tiny bit of sanity returned as she registered the sound. She was desperate enough to beg.

"Malfoy, please. They'll hear."

"Oh no, don't digress now. Say my name, _Hermione._"

_Oh god. _The combination of her name coming from his mouth in that sinful tone added to his wicked fingers was unravelling her. He muttered something and suddenly she felt her lacy boy shorts disappear. His touch against her hypersensitive core was her downfall.

"Draco. Please." At this point she wasn't sure if she was pleading with him to stop or continue.

He chuckled darkly and leaned in close to her ear again. "Relax, Princess. I charmed our desk to act as a sound barrier and put up a glamour as soon as I sat down. To the rest of the class, we are sitting quietly taking notes. They can't see me doing this." He paused to scrape his teeth over her pulse point and she whimpered. "Or hear me telling you how much I want to bend you over this desk and fuck you." He growled the last few words as two of his fingers entered her in a hard thrust and she cried out. He continued tormenting her with his left hand as his right came up to wrap in her hair and pull her mouth to his for a bruising kiss. She reveled in his harsh possession and writhed in his arms, only breaking from his hold as her climax rushed over her and she screamed his name.

*DMHG*

_Oh this is not good. _Hermione thought as she made her way into the great hall for dinner. She'd been contemplating the possibility of making him want her again but all that little episode in the classroom had proven was that he could make her completely lose her mind. She could still see the smirk on his face as she sat trying to recover from his touch before the bell rang and he would have to drop the glamour.

She took comfort from the fact that he hadn't looked all that composed himself but really that had been a score in his favor. Right now it stood Draco 1 Hermione 0 and she couldn't let that stand. She had to do something to make him lose his cool or their relationship would forever be dictated by him. _Their relationship. _That stopped her in her tracks. Good lord she actually wanted one with him. She wanted that sexy, arrogant snake for her boyfriend.

Her smile at that moment was positively evil.

And she was going to get him.

She was going to make Draco Malfoy do something he'd never done before. Take a steady girlfriend. Now all she had to do was figure out how.

*DMHG*

Draco had used every ounce of his considerable control to keep his reaction to her in check.

_Holy blistering hell, the sounds she made. _

He felt a bit smug on both accounts. That he had actually pulled off looking only mildly affected when he was a swirling pit of lava inside, and that he had been the cause of those pleasure filled moans. When she'd thrown her head back and screamed his name he'd almost lost it. He smiled at the memory.

He'd definitely accomplished his goal today. It wouldn't surprise him in the least if she showed up on his doorstep tonight, begging him to take her. Oh, that was a lovely image. He would, of course, oblige her, and afterward he would explain to her how things were going to be from now on.

He was keeping her.

He'd fought against the preposterous hold she had on him but it did no good. He wanted her around, and for more than just a good shag. He hadn't slept very well the past few days and he realized it was because he kept reaching out to pull her close and she wasn't there. He thought of things in the middle of the day that he wanted to _talk _to her about. How preposterous was that? But it was true and he was sick of losing the battle.

Malfoys don't lose.

So he'd shifted sides. Now that he was fully on board with the keeping her plan it had been much easier to function.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Marcus Flint, of all people, who called out a greeting as he passed.

"Hey Flint. What are you doing here?"

"Quidditch demonstration. Dumbledore invited all the former Hogwarts students who have become pros to come play an exhibition match later today. The ginger twins are here too, as well as Johnson and a few others."

Draco looked around the room and did in fact see Fred and George Weasley at the Gryffindor table sitting with Angelina Johnson.

His scan of the room was cut short as Hermione walked into the room and his eyes were unwilling to leave her. She looked a bit troubled until she got about halfway to her table and then she faltered, a look of shock crossing her features as if a thought had just occurred to her that hadn't before. Then a smile that had his gut clenching in arousal appeared on her face. Even as he struggled to control his desire he got a sinking feeling he was in trouble. That smile did not bode well for her surrender. It smacked of a newly realized plot.

_Damn_ that turned him on even more. He would never be happy with a tame and obedient girl. This just proved that his decision to keep her was well founded. Their little war might prove to be the most fun he'd ever had.

*DMHG*

Hermione took her seat next to Harry and Ginny and started absentmindedly piling food on her plate. She was so lost in her thoughts she almost didn't notice when Ron and Lavender sat down in the chairs across from her.

She really didn't care much about them anymore.

She'd gotten her revenge on Ron, and as soon as she figured out the best way to reveal Draco's part in it he would be suitably dealt with. And she had decided that Lavender was more of an annoyance than an actual problem. Besides, it was much more pleasurable to plot Draco's downfall than it was to plan any comeuppance for her.

It took Ginny's gasp of disbelief to draw her attention to the odious couple in front of her. When she did look up she really wished she hadn't. Lavender was licking Ron's face and had her hand fumbling around the front of his pants while at the same time glancing around to see if people were paying attention. Cute.

"If you're going to do that in public the least you could do is make it appealing to watch."

Lavender let go of Ron to glare at Hermione. "You know nothing about sex appeal. That's why you lost him to me in the first place."

The table took a collective breath in and held it. Had she actually just said that? All Gryffindor eyes turned to Hermione and the rest of the room quickly caught on to the fact that something was about to go down. Hermione eyed the very unfortunate girl in front of her and knew it was time to set her straight.

"First of all, I didn't lose Ron to you. I seem to remember him begging me to stay the night I found you two. Telling me he couldn't live without me and that you meant less than nothing to him so let's not get delusional. If I so much as snapped my fingers in his direction he would crawl over the table to me right now. _I _decided that after touching you he would never be allowed within five feet of me again. And as to the matter of sex appeal, I know enough to know that you have none. What you have is a reputation for being a sure thing. Most men are simple creatures and for them sex doesn't really require taste. You wouldn't know true sex appeal if it bit you on the ass."

All of this was said in a very cool, matter of fact kind of way, making Hermione the clear winner in this little show down.

Lavender however, didn't seem to know when to quit. The girl completely ignored the warning glint in Hermione's eye to keep her mouth shut and be glad it wasn't worse.

"Oh yah?" The comeback of the century. What she did next went beyond the normal parameters of stupid.

*DMHG*

Draco watched in a sort of fascinated horror, the way one can't turn away from a car crash, as Brown jumped up onto the table and magicked her clothes away.

Ok, so there was some left. They had just gotten smaller, tighter and smuttier. All that was left was a tiny pair of shorts and a tube top. He grimaced. They were supposed to be talking about sex appeal. Not skank appeal.

A glaring bit of music started pumping trough the hall and the girl started gyrating and thrusting like some sort of demented fish. Honestly, she was doing a better job of proving Hermione's point for her than she was of protesting it. He quickly grew bored with the display. It was nothing he couldn't have seen in the cheapest brothel, and truly if he'd paid for that he would have asked for his money back.

There was a lot of wand waiving and flashy lights and colors, as if she was trying to show off her magical ability as well as her not really all that attractive body. Which was even more stupid than expected. Was she seriously deranged? You _never _challenge Hermione Granger to a show of magic.

What part of 'brightest witch of their age' didn't she understand?

He looked around the room and saw that most people had the same horrified and unimpressed look on their faces. When she was finished she actually had the nerve to stare down at Hermione smugly, as if she hadn't just made the entire room wish they could gouge out their eyes. He sat back and waited for the real show to begin.

*DMHG*

Hermione smiled as she waited for the train wreck to finish. Honestly if the girl wasn't such an obnoxious bint, Hermione might actually thank her. First, she took Ron with his brain defect inducing STD off her hands and now she had just actively helped, albeit unintentionally, with her plan for Draco. Hermione scanned the room, picking possible accomplices and victims in this absolutely mad plan that was forming in her brain.

She knew no one expected her to respond and that made it all the more enjoyable. To be honest if it was any other day she probably wouldn't have, but the strong desire to shake up Draco along with the fact that there were a few more people she trusted here today than normal made the decision easy.

_Oh this was going to be fun._

*DMHG*

Draco watched her smirk and had to adjust his pants. She had his signature look down pat and it pleased him to no end, watching her unleash it on the stupid bint. That girl had no idea what was in store for her but he did. Everyone thought Granger was just going to continue to let it go because she hadn't reacted so far. He knew better. He saw the calculation flashing in her eyes as she scanned the room. She was planning something but even he was shocked at what she did next. He expected a spectacular show of magic to rain down on the hall or even for her to just leap up and beat the crap out of the bloody slut. He would never in a million years have imagined she would respond to the challenge in kind.

All eyes were glued to Hermione as she rose from her seat. The hall had never been as silent as it was in that moment and the tension that filled the crowd was like a living thing. With a flick of her wand a sultry beat filled the air. A second wave transformed her school robes into a fitted black button down shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and a pair of black leggings. Her hair fell from her ponytail into a cascade of soft sexy curls and a bit of smoky eye makeup and lip gloss completed the look of earthy siren. The collective look of shock that filled the room only increased when the song really got going.

**Put me on the table**

**Make me say your name**

It was as though she was letting the words dictate her movements. She turned and pulled herself up onto the table, swinging her legs around until she was perched in the exact center. Feet together, legs bent at the knee, she leaned back on her hands and tossed her head back as if in the throws of passion. Lust flared in the eyes of every male in the room.

**If I can't remember**

She turned towards Ron, who was staring wide eyed and slack jawed, completely ignoring his now fuming girlfriend. She swung her legs around to face him, crossing one over the other and tapped one finger on her chin as she eyed him with an unimpressed expression.

**Then give me all your pain**

On the word pain Ron's back hit the floor. Hard. Hermione had kicked him out of his seat. She then stood and tossed her wand to Ginny. _The bitch wants magic? I'll give her magic. _Just like that she disappeared. The crowd gasped. Not only had she just done that, she'd done it wandlessly and _silent._

**I can sit and listen**

She reappeared suddenly in the lap of Fred Weasley whispering the line in his ear.

**Or I can make you scream**

She leaned into George from his twin's lap and whispered that line to him.

**Kiss it and make it better**

George, being the more sensitive of the two, blushed a bit and she kissed his cheek as an apology for his discomfort.

**Just put your trust in me**

She hopped out of Fred's lap and pulled Angelina to her feet. It was common knowledge that she was always game for a good prank and the girl didn't disappoint her. She winked as Hermione put her hands on her hips.

**Oh my god, go a little slower**

Hermione swung her hips in a slow figure eight as she raised her arms over her head.

**Oh my god, what was that again?**

She began arching her back and leaning backward toward the ground, giving the Hufflepuff table a decent view of her cleavage.

**La da da, let me feel you baby**

When her hands met the floor she effortlessly pulled herself back up.

**Let me in cause I understand**

Hermione took Angelina's hands off her hips and draped her arms over her shoulders just before she spun, placing her back to the older girl's chest and giving the crowd a seductive smile.

**Let me feel you baby**

**cause I understand**

At this point Hermione took Angelina's hands and raised their arms over their heads and they both started swaying to the beat. Everyone in the hall was entranced and swayed slightly with them.

**I understand it all, now climb up my sugar walls**

Hermione spared a glance for Lavender who was fuming, finally having realized her mistake. At Hermione's smirk the girl leapt from her chair and made her way over to them. Hermione released Angelina and walked up to meet the idiot. Perfect timing.

**Problems solved it's dissolved with the solvent known as spit**

Lavender opened her mouth to utter another unwise insult but didn't make it that far. Hermione spit into her open mouth and then reached up and closed it.

**Lickity lick not so quick it's a slick ride**

She then gripped her by the chin and spun her around, sending her to her knees with a well placed kick to her arse.

**Make my mink slide cause we're all pink inside**

With a sexy smirk she snapped her fingers and was gone again.

**This can be really easy**

Hermione reappeared at the Ravenclaw table and began mouthing the words as she slid into a full middle split.

**It doesn't have to be hard**

Now making eye contact with Terry Boot she leaned forward onto her elbows.

**Here baby let me show you**

She grabbed Terry's face and pulled him closer until his lips were just inches from hers.

**I'll have ya climbing up the walls**

When Terry finally got the nerve to close the distance she was gone again.

**You got all the problems**

This time she chose the Hufflepuff table, and she appeared sitting crossed legged in front of some fifth year boy who had his forgotten homework sitting between them. She cocked her head to the side and leaned forward.

**I think I can solve**

They didn't figure out what she was doing until she pulled back with his quill in her hand and slid the end attractively across her mouth. She'd answered whatever question the boy had been stuck on before she'd distracted him.

**Why don't you come in here baby?**

She then tossed the quill aside and wrapped her legs around the unsuspecting boy who was in such a state of shock there was no danger of his hands roaming.

That was why she chose a Hufflepuff.

**Why don't we sit and talk?**

She whispered the line in his ear and he groaned just before there was nothing left in front of him but air.

**Oh my god, let me feel you baby**

**cause I understand**

The head of every Hogwarts student, current and former, swiveled around to see where they would find her next. When she appeared at the head of the Slytherin table Draco was having a hard time breathing.

**Oh my god, go a little slower**

With a wave of her hand, the food that covered the table vanished

**Oh my god, what was that again?**

Another wave of her hand caused ice cream sundaes, complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top to appear in front of each person at the table. Many minds were suddenly filled with delicious possibilities.

**La da da , let me feel you baby**

Hermione began to strut down the center of the table when she noticed that Marcus Flint, while following her with his eyes, was still capable of enough thought to have a spoon of whipped cream half way to his mouth. She couldn't have that.

**Let me in cause I understand**

She bent down in front of him and slowly took the spoon into her own mouth, gently sucking it clean. When she pulled away, his jaw had dropped and she was satisfied. She licked her lips and continued on down the table.

**Oh my god, go a little slower**

**Oh my god, what was that again?**

As she walked her hips swayed and everyone's eyes were glued to the motion.

**La da da, let me feel you baby**

**Let me in cause I understand**

She paused to raise her arms and rock her hips tantalizingly. This was what Brown had been trying and failing to do. When Hermione did it it was fluid, graceful, and thoroughly arousing.

**Oh my god, let me feel you baby**

**Cause I understand**

She resumed walking until she got to the Slytherin version of the Golden trio: Pansy, Blaise and Draco.

**You like the top and the bottom**

She dropped in front of Pansy.

**You made a drop and you caught em**

Reaching out she ran her hands through the other girl's hair, much in the same way she had in Blaise's bathroom.

**And when you rock then you got em**

**Oh my god em, oh my god em**

Hermione brought Pansy's face close to her own causing Pansy to arch up into her body. When she was close enough Hermione leaned in and whispered into her ear, "This makes us even."

**Let me feel you baby**

Before Pansy could register what she had said, Hermione ran her nose along the other girl's jawbone, down her throat, and just barely skimmed across her collarbone before abruptly releasing her and sitting back on her heels.

**Cause I understand**

Hermione then slid down the table to face Blaise.

**You like the top and the bottom**

**You made a drop and you caught em**

She place his hands on her knees and raised her eyebrow at him in challenge.

**And when you rock then you got em**

He raised his right back and slid his hands up her legs to her hips.

**Oh my god em, oh my god em**

Hermione pretended to ponder letting him keep his hold on her and then shook her head and placed her foot on his chest using him as leverage to slide backward out of his grip.

**Let me feel you baby**

**Cause I understand**

Now it was time for the finale. She slowly crawled over and placed herself directly in front of Draco. The crowd gasped a bit at this, none of them being in on their secret yet. They stared into each other's eyes a moment, both caught up in desire. Draco was itching to grab her to him and growl at the next person who touched what was his. He wanted to claim her in front of everyone watching so they would know that she off limits. Hermione was reveling in the possessive gleam in his eyes.

**I understand, now let me show you where to put that hand**

She started the same way she had with Blaise, taking his hands and placing them on her closed knees.

**My little red engine says, "I think I can, I think I can."**

Slowly, she trailed them up her thighs as she began to spread her legs. The crowd held their breath in anticipation.

**I got your coochie coo, how bout you**

Suddenly, she tightened her hold on his hands and drew them up into her hair as she slid into his lap.

**I got your coochie coo too**

Her lips descended on his and the crowd went crazy.

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

_Is that really happening? Holy crap!_

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

_That lucky bastard. Do you think he's the one she...? _

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

The kiss went on and on, each lost in the passion they found in each other and completely unaware of the explosion of whispers going on around them.

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

_No way! Maybe. Definitely._

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

She broke the kiss and, after managing to get a bit of her composure back smirked at the glazed look in his eyes. She leaned down to press her lips close to his ear so she could whisper her next words, but at the same time charmed her voice so it would seem as though she was whispering to the whole crowd. Silence reigned again as they waited for her to speak.

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

"Thank you for Sunday night. The things you did to me were so much better than revenge." Every eye in the crowd went wide and Ron's roar of outrage was silenced by another well aimed punch to the face delivered by Harry.

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

**Oh my god 'em**

She pulled back with a sexy grin and bit her bottom lip.

**Ok stop!**

And she was gone.

*DMHG*

_Holy. Blistering. Fuck._

_Did that really just happen?_

Draco looked around at the other people in the room and saw the same disbelieving and mostly aroused look on their faces. _Yep._

He was so dazed and seriously turned on by the fact that not only had Hermione just done that, she'd done it wearing _his shirt_ that he barely picked up on the conversation going on next to him.

"The girl has guts. I'll give her that." Pansy broke the silence with a small smile of respect.

"Call it whatever you want, Parkinson," Flint said from down the table, "I'm just glad I was here to see it." Draco saw him pocket the spoon Hermione had licked and made a note to punch the guy later. Marcus must have seen the look in his eye because a grin spread over his face, "Oh come on Drake, you get the whole cake, leave me my crumb will ya?"

That brought Draco around to his goal. He eyed the rest of the Slytherins at the table and decided to ensure, if not their help, then at least their understanding that she was off limits.

"Hermione Granger is _mine_. I've claimed her. Anyone seeking to interfere with that claim will meet a very painful fate." Nods were seen all around and he knew they wouldn't dare oppose him. They didn't call him the Slytherin Prince for nothing.

"Well," Pansy raised an eyebrow and, trying to change the subject, blurted out something ridiculous, "I never thought I'd see the day that Granger wore less clothes than Brown."

"What are you talking about?" Blaise responded, "She was almost completely covered. That was sort of the point wasn't it? Making everyone go mad with lust without resorting to looking like a stripper."

"I didn't say she was less covered, I said she was wearing less clothes."

Even to Draco's muddled brain that didn't make any sense.

Pansy rolled her eyes at the confused expression on both of their faces and explained. "Brown was wearing four articles of clothing. Five if you count her shoes. Granger, only two." Pansy stopped there and, smiling evilly, started to eat her ice cream.

Draco, along with everyone else within hearing distance, thought about the two different outfits worn today. Brown had slutty shorts, one, that didn't cover the top of her tacky red thong, two, and a tube top, three, that likewise didn't cover her matching bra, four. Her shoes made five. Hermione had on _his_ shirt, one, leggings, two… and that was two. How could…the revelation hit him about two seconds before anyone else.

"How?" he demanded of Pansy before the rest of the group could pick their jaws up off the table. _How did she know?_

"She didn't have one line on her, panty, thong or otherwise, and," she paused a moment, basking in the envy that would soon be directed at her, "I got a good look at the girls when she was over here. A few more buttons and everyone would have gotten an completely different show."

"Are you saying that…that…"

Pansy's smile grew even more wicked.

"That Granger has been, and probably still is, walking around Hogwarts going commando? YES!"

_Processing._

_Compute._

_Fuck._

And just like that Draco was running out of the great hall.

This would have been remarked upon by more people, but most of the room had turned to watch the spectacle going on at the Gryffindor table. Ron Weasley was bawling his eyes out, completely ignoring the angry huffs coming from his girlfriend. No one judged him for this. They all admitted to themselves that if they had screwed up their chances with _that_ to shag Lavender Brown, they'd be crying like a baby too.

*DMHG*

Draco was lying in his bed, _alone_, and he cursed for the millionth time in the past few hours. He hadn't been able to find her. That maddening woman was _hiding _from him. He had to admit it was a good strategy, but gods did it make him want to throttle her.

He'd figured out about half way through her dance that she was in on their little game and had decided to play dirty. She'd looked at him challengingly one too may times while in the middle of turning some other helpless victim into a puddle at her feet. It was as if she wanted him to do something crazy.

Like get up and take her right then and there.

He took a few deep breaths and tried to think of something else, something that would allow his blankets to resume lying flat.

_Plot. Think of your next move._ He needed to retaliate. Publicly this time. It wasn't enough that the rest of his house knew she was his. _She _needed to know. And she needed to admit it.

He smiled as a plan started to form in his mind and finally, he was able to drift off to sleep.

*DMHG*

The next morning was decidedly strange, and she knew Draco was somehow the cause.

She had hidden from him last night for two reasons. The first being that she knew it was a strategically intelligent move. It would drive him mad and increase his desire to claim her, which was what she was pushing for. He would have to make some sort of spectacle of himself on her behalf to prove that he wanted her around for more than just a quick fling. If she was going to do this absolutely insane thing she was going to be sure he was in it for good. He would never go through the trouble of publicly declaring their relationship if it wasn't important to him.

Hiding had been a very good plan and she felt quite pleased with herself for being able to think that clearly after that kiss. _Good lord_ the heat that had been pouring off of him was addictive.

Which brings her to her second reason. If he had caught her last night she would have melted at his touch and surrendered. She knew she couldn't withstand a full frontal assault so she'd chosen to retreat and regroup. Her best friend had been part of the regrouping process.

She and Ginny had slept in the room of requirement. Well, neither of them really got all that much sleep. They were far too amped up. Ginny hadn't been able to contain herself and had spent most of the evening rolling on the floor in gleeful laughter.

"_Did you see his face?" she'd exclaimed, "I will never forget that. Not even when I'm old and senile."_

"_Which one? Ron or Draco?"_

"_Either! I honestly can't decided which was better. And after you left Ron started bawling like a baby and Harry sneered at him, in a very Malfoyish way actually which was totally hot, to stop blubbering because he deserved it."_

Hermione had almost forgotten about Ron. Funny how her revenge had become far less important to her than the battle to win Draco. She still would never be able to forgive him after that kind of betrayal but he had honestly just stopped being that important to her. She wrote him out of her life, and since he didn't matter he wasn't worth the effort it required to torment him. The only man's feelings that were of any consequence to her anymore were Draco's.

Which brings her back to the strange morning she was having. _What had he done to cause this?_

Slytherins were _protecting _her.

Terry Boot had apparently been a bad choice of victims in last night's little episode as he now thought it was wise to attempt to recreate the moment. He'd grabbed her in the hallway as she was on her way to Potions and pulled her in as if to kiss her. Before she could even blink the boy had been hexed by at least six different wands, all of them in the hand of a snake.

They had then proceeded to form a sort of human barrier around her and escorted her the rest of the way to class. Half of them didn't even have Potions that period.

So... as previously stated, strange.

She scanned the classroom for that familiar white blond hair but she didn't see him anywhere. _What is he up to?_

Draco didn't show up for any of his classes that morning, but the Slytherin presence remained. A hand was always there to steady her if she stumbled, a wand was always ready to deal with any overly enthusiastic fans of her performance, even Ron hadn't dared to attempt to beg her forgiveness today as he had been every morning since the 'breakfast incident'.

It was kind of nice actually. She felt a bit like a muggle celebrity.

Lunch time came around and she still hadn't seen Draco. She walked to the Great Hall and started getting a weird vibe from her Slytherin entourage. Like they were expecting something. She was glad for the small edge it gave her when she waked into the room. If she hadn't known something was going on she might have died from the shock.

Books were everywhere. And not just any books. Old, rare, and extremely precious volumes that made Hermione's fingers twitch to get her hands on. And in the middle of it all stood Draco.

She walked towards him and the escort of Slytherins slid away to join the rest of the crowd. She couldn't keep the awe out of her eyes as she swept past the piles of books and a smirk appeared on his face.

"What is all this?"

"Books."

The snarky comment brought her mind to their fist encounter and she gave him the look that he'd given her when she'd sarcastically answered his question with, "Cake." The one that said explain or leave.

"It's common knowledge that you have a fondness for books and I wanted you to have an open mind when I presented my proposal." His comment and the grin on his face told her that his thoughts were on that first night too.

"Bribery? How very like you. What do you want me to do exactly?"

"Oh nothing too strenuous." He closed the gap between them and circled her, the way a shark circles it's prey. "You simply have to admit that you belong to me." He said that last part from behind her and leaned in to brush his lips across her throat. She shivered and swayed into him before regaining her composure. She couldn't give in yet.

"Only if you admit that _you_ belong to _me_."

"Well, I thought that was rather obvious from this display. How many times have you seen me publicly show any kind of interest in a girl? Did you think my snakes were following you around for fun? Honestly, Granger you're supposed to be bright."

She spun to face him and buried her hands in his hair before pulling his lips down to hers.

Someone, everyone suspected Blaise, petrified Ron at this moment so he couldn't turn away.

After a few moments Draco managed, with great effort, to pull away from the kiss and stare down at her.

"Say it, Hermione. Tell me you're mine." He growled with the force of his desire to claim her.

She smiled. "I'm yours. Always."

He crushed her back to his body and devoured her mouth with his. When they came up for air the second time he turned and bored his eyes directly into the still petrified Ron's.

"Thanks for being such a wanker, Weasley." Draco drawled and that smirk she loved appeared, "I'm rather enjoying your mistake."

And, still clutching Hermione close, he made them disappear.

*DMHG*

"Honestly, Albus, are you really not going to do anything about these constant and horribly disturbing interruptions of our meals?" Severus Snape leaned in to ask the Headmaster as the students went mad after the disappearance of Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger.

"Are you kidding Severus?" Dumbledore replied, "This is better than a muggle soap opera. I wouldn't dream of curbing their highly entertaining displays."

Snape had to admit he had a point. The look on Mr. Weasley's face was rather priceless.

*DMHG*

**Note: The end! Let me know what you think :)**


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